Question on Fire and Ice Zoas...

[Raymond Gathright]

I bought 10 Fire and Ice polyps from Aquarium Depot last weekend, along with 10 polyps of Blue Eyed Monsters and a Lavender Acan. I also picked up some copepods and cheto.
Everything's doing great except the Fire and Ice. The Blue Eyed Monsters opened up within a few hours of acclimation. The Acan was open before I got it out of the bag and actually already seems to be growing.
I've have some Red Zoas I bought about six weeks ago that look like they've doubled and some awsome blossoms I got about a month ago that are starting to multiply. I also have a GSP that has doubled in size, or more, in the last six seeks or so.
It's a 75 gallon, parameters look good except the nitrates are a bit high... they're running around 20 on average... 15 to 25 in range... Which is why I've added a refugium and tbe cheato...
Tomorrow, Monday, will be day 5. The fire and Ice polyps still look like they're living. I've tried moving them to different areas in the tank so that they are subject to different lighting conditions, still nothing. I'm at a loss at this point. Any ideas?
BTW, I'm running the Current Orbit Marine LEDs. Best lighting I can afford... the corals I have appear to be doing great with it... ie... they're growing and/or multiplying.
Thanks for any help, ideas, constructive criticism, or just plain encouragement
Raymond

 

[prsnlty]

I bought 10 Fire and Ice polyps from Aquarium Depot last weekend, along with 10 polyps of Blue Eyed Monsters and a Lavender Acan. I also picked up some copepods and cheto.
Everything's doing great except the Fire and Ice. The Blue Eyed Monsters opened up within a few hours of acclimation. The Acan was open before I got it out of the bag and actually already seems to be growing.
I've have some Red Zoas I bought about six weeks ago that look like they've doubled and some awsome blossoms I got about a month ago that are starting to multiply. I also have a GSP that has doubled in size, or more, in the last six seeks or so.
It's a 75 gallon, parameters look good except the nitrates are a bit high... they're running around 20 on average... 15 to 25 in range... Which is why I've added a refugium and tbe cheato...
Tomorrow, Monday, will be day 5. The fire and Ice polyps still look like they're living. I've tried moving them to different areas in the tank so that they are subject to different lighting conditions, still nothing. I'm at a loss at this point. Any ideas?
BTW, I'm running the Current Orbit Marine LEDs. Best lighting I can afford... the corals I have appear to be doing great with it... ie... they're growing and/or multiplying.
Thanks for any help, ideas, constructive criticism, or just plain encouragement
Raymond

Hi Raymond I have over 300 Fire and Ice Zoa's and I found in the beginning that they don't like to be right underneath the light especially LEDs. They like to be a little off to the side but with still good lighting I have mine growing up on a return column. Not to mention they tend to travel thanks to a sea urchin who dumps them everywhere. Put them down low or off to the side and just give them time. If they start stretching tall that means they need more light.

Old pic...
You can seen them off to the far right.

 

[Raymond Gathright]

Interesting. I had them down low, with most of the rest of my zoas. I moved them to the top of the reef shelf yesterday for a day, then moved them under the shelf, somewhat under the shade, today. They started stretching like you said. It sounds like I may just need to put them back where they started and keep ky fingers crossed.

 

[prsnlty]

Fire & ice zoas are generally pretty Hardy. Just be sure that you don't zero out on your PO 4 or no.3. Once they get used to your system they'll spread pretty quickly. They are beautiful colorful addition for sure [emoji4]